


Occupation: G.I. Blues

by Lucky107



Series: Rock 'n' Roll High School [3]
Category: Bully (Video Games)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Gen, Military, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-11
Updated: 2016-08-11
Packaged: 2018-08-08 00:38:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7736293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucky107/pseuds/Lucky107
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The boys gossip about the contents of his letters whenever Lucky isn't around.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Occupation: G.I. Blues

**Author's Note:**

> G.I. Blues - Elvis Presley - 1960

**November, 2005**

An is hard at work polishing up an old bike in the shop when a firm hand lands on her shoulder and her heart leaps into her throat.  Turning in the direction of the hand is reactionary, but the perpetrator has moved.

"Hey," comes the disheartened voice of Lucky De Luca.  "You got a smoke?"

Brushing off the momentary fright, An sifts through her pocket for a cigarette.  "Sure—somethin' on your mind?"

With an uncharacteristically rough hand, Lucky snatches the cigarette from her and lights it.  The way his hand trembles around his lighter indicates _something_ is wrong, but the accompanying silence seems to imply that he's not in a talkative mood.

An gives him the first, second and third drag of his cigarette to calm his nerves before she prods, "So?"

"Ain't none of your business."

"You rob me of a smoke 'n' then tell me to piss off?"  She bites back, but she's not looking for a fight.  An's known Lucky to have his off days and they often correspond with when he receives a letter from his big brother - a Bullworth Academy dropout.  "Fine, man.  Be a dick."

An is on her way to the door when Lucky says, "I'm sorry, kid.  It's just... Gino's comin' home today 'n' Ma's so busy chasin' after little Sal these days that she can't be there to pick him up.  We've got that major assignment in Biology today, and—"

Now it makes sense.

Lucky never told anyone that his brother left for service in Afghanistan, but everyone knew it.

When his father ran off and left his mother with three small children in New Coventry, Gino was forced to leave school to become the man of the family.  He worked odd jobs for a time, but it was hard for a boy without a high school diploma to keep four mouths fed and a roof over their heads.  The struggle made the army life look like a lucrative solution to a long-time problem.  He was just a dumb kid; he never expected he would actually be sent overseas.

In Gino's absence, Lucky had to fill his brother's shoes.  He had to balance his education with his family life, often being forced to make time at the expense of his grades.

An is no stranger to the story: the boys gossip about the contents of his letters whenever Lucky isn't around—curious about the places Gino's been and the things Gino's seen—but the conflict in Lucky's eyes right now suggests those letters are rarely as exciting as the gossip makes them out to be.

Lucky is too damn proud to say a word, though.

As the silence becomes overwhelming, An says, "I'll tag along, if ya want.  You fail, I fail 'n' all that."

"Would you?"  Lucky asks, unable to hide the eagerness in his reply.  In spite of fighting his own battles, he's never been anything but kind to An and it's due time that she repay that favour.

"Yeah," An assures and she gives Lucky's shoulder a squeeze.  "'course."

\- - -

The airport is bustling with life for a Monday afternoon.

Lucky is visible nervous, trembling like a leaf, while An marvels at their surroundings: it's the first time she's ever been to Manchester.  There are more people in this one building than there are in the entirety of Bullworth.

People come and people go and An barely even knows what Gino looks like outside of that wallet-sized photograph that Lucky showed her on the way over.  She holds onto his hand, though, and absorbs the nervous shakes as he searches each passing face for his brother.  He's squeezing her hand so tight she's afraid he might break her fingers and she knows she should be expecting the worst, but...

When An sees him, she immediately knows he's Gino De Luca—a wheelchair-bound double amputee who looks just like Lucky.

"Gino..."  The younger boy whispers, but he can't find the strength to stand until An pulls him to his feet.

No letter could ever convey the raw emotion—the relief, the love, the joy—that Lucky radiates when he sees his brother's smiling face.  Even if Gino had warned him about the amputation, it's never been more real than it is right now and Lucky's strength ebbs away.  He falls to his knees like a child at Gino's side and cries into his big brother's lap.

The older De Luca is patient, running comforting fingers through Lucky's short red hair.  For the first time since their reunion, his eyes travel up to An's.  "His girlfriend?"

An's voice feels thick when she tries to speak and the words stick like mucus in her throat.  She can barely manage to croak 'just a friend' before her voice dries up, but she shakes the hand Gino extends to her with haste.

No words can define what she sees in his eyes in that moment—when Gino gives her hand a gentle squeeze, relishing in the warmth it provides, he confirms for the first time that this isn't a dream.

Not anymore.


End file.
